The tender compassion of our God

In a time of war

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

That was in my first reading. Sister Michelle and I pray the Benedictus Dominus Deus as part of Morning Prayer each day.

My second reading was from Andrew Fox offering a very broad military briefing on the war between Israel and Iran. You can read the whole article by subscribing (for free) at https://open.substack.com/pub/mrandrewfox He comes at it from a very pro Israel stance. Yet it is an informative overview of the situation.

He begins with the Iranian strategy for the region - “In September 2021, Iran’s plan for Israel was made clear by the words of General Gholamani Rashid: … I have assembled for you six armies outside of Iran's territory, and I have created a corridor 1,500km long and 1,000km wide, all the way to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In this corridor, there are six religiously devout and popular divisions. Any enemy that decides to fight against the Islamic Revolution, and against the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran, will have to go through these six armies. … The anger of the trespassing Americans and of the Zionist regime with regard to Iran's regional power stems from their realization that the Islamic Republic of Iran possesses two elements of power: The first is a powerful armed force which is ready for battle, and prepared to defend from within Iran's territory against any foreign invader, and the second is a regional force outside of Iran's territory.” He then goes into some detail about the “six armies” i.e., Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, an army in Syria, another in Iraq, and in Yemen the Houthis.

Alright, if this stuff isn’t your cup of tea — stop reading. We’re not all called to the same work. My orientation rises from the three possible vocations I explored as a young person: the Marine Corps, being a high school history/civics teacher, and the priesthood. I had some experience and training with each. In the end my MDiv from seminary and my MA in Organization Development were my home. So my approach to helping parishioners look at social ethics issues has always included — seek the facts, inform your conscience, and pray the Office.

Mr. Fox then goes on to what he understands to be the US strategy in the region. “Since the debacle of the Iraq War, US strategy in the Middle East has been multi-faceted, mostly prioritising economic and diplomatic levers over military force. It has evolved significantly over time, shaped by a combination of geopolitical, economic, and security interests. The shared goals of the US and their Gulf allies focus on maintaining regional stability, countering threats from Iran, combating terrorism, and securing energy supplies.” He then explains each of the goals. I found this interesting - “The US and Gulf states have taken an active role in several ongoing conflicts in the region, aiming to maintain stability while countering influences detrimental to their interests, particularly Iranian involvement in places like Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. The US has played a complex role in these conflicts, seeking to reduce direct military involvement under recent administrations, while providing support through arms, intelligence, and diplomatic efforts. … The US has sought to build a regional coalition of partners to help share the burden of security in the Middle East. This has included encouraging normalisation of relations between Arab states and Israel, thereby shifting focus from Arab-Israeli conflicts to the common threat of Iran. The 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered by the Trump administration, are the key example of this strategy. These agreements were a revolution in relations between Israel and several Gulf and Arab states, including the UAE and Bahrain, marking a significant shift in regional dynamics. While Saudi Arabia has not yet fully embraced this rapprochement with Israel, they have shown a willingness to engage in quieter cooperation on mutual security concerns. Countries like the UAE have actively pursued normalisation, both for economic benefits and to counterbalance Iranian influence.” He goes on to offer his view of the roots of the current war, “My contention is that Iran saw the Abraham Accords as a step too far, and normalisation of relations, especially potentially with Saudi Arabia, was not only strategically threatening but also religiously abhorrent to see Muslims reconcile with the Jewish State. As Gholamani articulated, Iran has always seen the removal of Israel as the second stage of their regional hegemony strategy to remove US influence from the region, after the establishment of their proxy noose around Israel’s borders.”

Then onto the Israeli position, “There were tensions at the top of the Israeli government over the correct response to the threat from Lebanon. In Tel Aviv and Jerusalem earlier in September this year, I was briefed diametrically opposite plans by PM Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant themselves. Netanyahu was adamant that the Gaza conflict should be finished first as the most geographically proximate threat to Israeli security. From the start of the war, Gallant had wanted to deal with Hezbollah before Hamas, as the greater, better-armed threat. He favoured a ceasefire deal in Gaza so that Israeli strategy could pivot to the Northern Front. It appears that a third way has been found. Israel retains a presence in Gaza, with 162^nd Division holding both movement corridors, Philadelphi and Netzarim. 98^th Division has moved north and at the time of writing is undertaking a “limited, localised and targeted” ground manoeuvre operation in southern Lebanon, according to IDF spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner.”

If it’s of interest, read the whole piece https://open.substack.com/pub/mrandrewfox

And by all means seek additional sources. Feel free to add such in the comments. One that I found useful is Thomas Friedman in two recent articles.

What This Israel-Hezbollah-Hamas-Iran Conflict Is Really About - He begins with this “To understand why and how Israel’s devastating blow to Hezbollah is such a world-shaking threat to Iran, Russia, North Korea and even China, you have to put it in the context of the wider struggle that has replaced the Cold War as the framework of international relations today.” And ends with “So there you have the big challenge of the day: The struggle between the world of inclusion and the world of resistance comes down to many things, but none more — today — than Netanyahu’s willingness to follow up his blow to the “Party of God” in Lebanon by dealing a similar political blow to the “Party of God” in Israel.”

Why Everything Is Suddenly Spiraling for Israel - “This is no time to be pulling punches. The Jewish state of Israel is in grave, grave danger today. And the danger comes from both Iran and the current Israeli ruling coalition. You see, I have never had any illusions about the macro reasons this war happened. It is the unfolding of an Iranian grand strategy to slowly destroy the Jewish state, weaken America’s Arab allies and undermine U.S. influence in the region — while deterring Israel from ever attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities — by using Iranian proxies to bleed Israel to death. That is the macro story.” Friedman also believes Israel has been led into a trap set by Iran and enabled by the PMs limitations. “The problem for Israelis and the Jewish people is that while the Netanyahu government was right in its diagnosis that this was a war of annihilation, it refused to conduct the war in the only way that could hope to bring success — because that strategy ran counter to the political interests of the prime minister and the messianic ideological interests of his coalition.”

Doing social ethics work

I begin with an assumption grounded in daily prayer -

To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

1. More liberal church leaders are quick to call for ceasefires. More conservative leaders see a need to continue the fight. How do we discern a pathway?
   a time to love, and a time to hate;
   a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:8)

2. Our President is a devout Roman Catholic, the Vice President a Baptist. Many of our political and military leaders are Christians. What is responsible action for those whose vocation includes the national security of the country and the long term advancement of a stable peace? Try to imagine yourself in their shoes. What would be the factors you had to consider? From the BCP - “O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant
   to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State (or Commonwealth), and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the
   Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

3. What is your ethical duty as time comes to vote for a new President and members of Congress? Most of us don’t get to have a candidate that perfectly conforms to our current views. How then do we decide? At baptisms we pray, “Sustain them, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit. Give them
   an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to
   persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy
   and wonder in all your works. Amen.” Does it help us to turn our attention from the pluses and minuses of the candidates to the working of the Holy Spirit in us? Might we turn to the gifts of the spirit and the virtues? - humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance born of love, eagerness to maintain unity in the bond of peace, truthfulness mediated in love, mutual kindness, tenderheartedness and forgiveness and prudence (having practical judgment), justice, fortitude (justice is only possible with perseverance), and temperance (self-awareness and self-control).

4. Add your own consideration.

This abides,

Brother Robert, OA